Former Premier League referee, Dermot Gallagher has explained how he once got to referee an international friendly between the Republic of Ireland and Russia at Lansdowne Road.

Gallagher, 59, was entrusted with many of the Premier League's highest profile games but the fact that he was born and raised in Dublin made it unlikely that he would ever officiate an Ireland game.

However, Gallagher explained how it all happened.

He told Off The Ball: "I was getting to the end of my FIFA career and my adopted uncle - everybody thinks he's my uncle but he's not a blood relative - Paddy Daly arranged with the FAI that they would get permission off FIFA to referee this pre-World Cup game in 2002.

"So in February 2002, I refereed Ireland against Russia in Landsdowne - couldn't believe it!"

Gallagher called it one of the best moments of his life.

He added: "So for the boy born 400 yards down the road [from Landsdowne Road] suddenly refereeing my national team was absolutely surreal.

"It was the moment of my life. I remember when the national anthem played, I just looked up to heaven and thought about my Dad and times he'd taken my to Landsdowne Road to watch the players play when I was a young boy and there's nothing I can say to explain it. It was just absolutely surreal."